Light Me Up
by justalongthemirroroferised
Summary: Shallan is nervous. After everything she's been through, her wedding night should be the easiest thing in the world. She swears to be Shallan tonight. After all, Adolin likes her best.


**Hello, it's me, your stereotypical trashy author here. Should I be writing the stories that I already have on the go? The answer is a resounding yes, but I needed to write this as a sort of palate-cleanser. Rest assured, the other stories are on their way. I wanted to write these two having a smutty, fluffy wedding night because Mr. Sanderson (although he is a godlike author and a brilliant lecturer) has certain, uh, shall we say, reservations (read: for context, he teaches at BYU) about writing sex into his books. So, here I am! These two are so freaking cute that I felt that I had to try to give it a go, just to sate my own insatiable curiosity. xx**

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Shallan paced nervously.

She completely ignored Pattern, who swept along in time with her skirts, buzzing away. She forced herself to stop as his humming reached a nearly unbearable pitch and braced her arms against her dressing table. Anticipationspren bubbled up around her fingers, and she squeezed her eyes shut to try to ignore them.

"Pattern, can you talk to me?" She asked desperately, drumming her index finger against the beautifully carved wood of her boudoir.

"Hmmm," he replied, rippling out of the fabric of her ceremonial havah, moving upwards until he was facing her. "Nervous lies?"

"Yes, nervous lies," she replied distractedly, patting her collection of intricate wedding braids with a trembling hand. She fought to suppress the Stormlight that attempted to seep out of her veins, struggling to keep all of her illusions at bay. She needed to be Shallan today, Adolin liked her best.

"Hmmm Dalinar likes it when Navani calls him pet names, as opposed to his actual name," Pattern began softly, buzzing at a more manageable level, "but I don't understand why they are called "pet names" when he is a man, does that mean that marriages for humans are based in dominance structures like I see with axehounds-"

"Pattern!" She blurted, whirling away and then gasping with panic as her braids threatened to topple loose. "The last thing that I need to hear about is how someone else's marriage is working perfectly well!"

"Why are you so scared, Shallan?" Pattern's vibrations had increased in pitch again as he worriedly spun in place. "Is it the secrets again?"

"No, that's not it," she said tiredly, biting her lip and forcing herself to breathe.

"But you're upset," he said bluntly, his tone rising in a slight question.

"I'm not!" She replied hurriedly, wrapping her arms nervously around herself and darting a glance at the door.

"Lie," he said simply, humming happily in place.

"No, it's not-"

"That's a much less nice lie, not even an interesting one-"

"Fine, of course I'm scared! I'm married to the highprince of the Kholin family and it's my wedding nightandIdon'tknowwhatI'mdoingandIdon'twanthimtobedisappointedwithme," she said in a rush, cringing as several Shamespren fluttered down above her shoulders.

She reached her sleeved safehand up and tried to bat them away, trying frantically to suppress Veil at the same time, (who, as it turned out, had experienced several men and was more than willing to tell her how to go about sleeping with her husband).

Radiant, mercifully, remained silent.

Pattern hummed in place for a moment before he practically burst into movement. "You're talking about MATING!"

Why he always insisted on screaming that word, Shallan would never understand.

Shallan didn't even try to brush away the new Shamespren that appeared; there was no point.

"Yes, Pattern," she muttered, running a hand over her face to hide her blush. At this point, she'd given up on trying to maintain her pristine appearance. Even Stormlight wouldn't help her now.

"But you're married now- OH!" He screeched, bubbling excitedly in place. "Shallan, you are allowed to MATE now!"

"That's why I'm nervous!" She half-yelled, fighting the urge to hide behind Veil and Radiant. They watched her struggle with patience; she was almost annoyed to see that Veil was trying and failing to hide a grin. She apparently thought that Shallan was being ridiculous.

_I can't do this!_

Unbidden, Veil rose to the surface. Shallan needed strength and a backbone right now, and Pattern wasn't helping.

"Pattern, you should leave them to it," Veil said pointedly, stepping away from several new Anticipationspren who swirled around her. "They'll need privacy."

"Oh. Lie?" He asked quietly, spinning in a quick circle as he thought.

Radiant shook her head, regarding Shallan with a look of pity as she allowed Veil to take over again. "Absolutely not a lie."

"Hmmmmm," her Cryptic replied, vibrating in place as he considered her words.

"No, not this one," Shallan answered pointedly, gesturing towards the door for emphasis. "Maybe you should go and talk to Renarin, he probably has questions about Shadesmar."

"Lie," Pattern hummed happily, slipping off the table and fluttering across the floor towards the door.

Veil patted Shallan on the shoulder and sauntered out the door as well, jerking her head for Radiant to follow. Shallan watched them go with mixed feelings; now that she was alone with her thoughts she wasn't sure what to do with her nervous energy.

"Storms," she muttered, breathing out a small sigh. At least she didn't have to worry about Pattern watching her and Adolin spend their first night together as a couple.

The fact that she was entirely alone wasn't comforting either.

She paced in a circle again, trying to distract herself. She knew that she loved Adolin, more than she'd ever thought possible, but she was still terrified of being intimate with him. Shallan could barely keep herself at the forefront of her illusions, never mind trying to be vulnerable while doing so. Adolin had a marvelous talent for coaxing her out of the well of fear that she regularly tucked herself into, but being _naked_ with him was a kind of vulnerability that she wasn't sure that she was ready for.

She clapped her mouth shut and sucked in a soft breath as the door on the other side of the room echoed with a quiet knock. With shaking hands, she smoothed down her skirts and tried to compose herself as much as possible.

"Come in," she called, hating the way that her voice sounded so small and thin. She breathed in a tiny amount of Stormlight; only enough to lend her strength.

Her breath caught in her throat as Adolin stepped into the room, looking more handsome than should have been possible in his crisp, bright blue Kholin uniform. She felt her heart flutter in her chest as more Anticipationspren burst into her sightline.

She didn't pay them any mind; all that she could focus on was the way that Adolin was looking at her, standing there like a chull in her voluminous wedding havah. She'd never seen that kind of heat in his expression, and she couldn't describe the sudden bolt of excitement that shot straight into her knees. His gaze raked over her braids and bridal makeup, and his cheeks pinked slightly as his attention settled on the silly smile that had spread over her mouth at the sight of him.

His mouth spread into a grin as he took in every inch of her appearance and she melted. With two quick strides, he was standing in front of her. She giggled breathlessly as he swept her into his arms, pressing herself into his embrace with no hesitation as he held her tightly, burying his nose in her hair.

"Shallan," he breathed, smoothing his hands up her back as she hummed appreciatively. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting-"

"It's okay!" She replied breathlessly, still bamboozled by how handsome he was in blue. Her freehand smoothed up his shoulder and up the back of his neck as he bent to kiss her, pulling her closer, if that was even possible.

"It's not; I'll make it up to you. It's our wedding day, and I was late to meet you. I'm all yours from now on," he promised, as his hand gently cupped her face and his fingers brushed over her pulse point.

"I have a few ideas, if you're looking for feedback," she informed him, laughing softly as Shamespren burst into existence above his head, showering them with petals.

Only Adolin Kholin could look like the main character in a romance novel when he was blushing furiously. Shallan thought that she'd never seen something so adorable in her life.

"Well, considering you're both a Knight Radiant and the Highprincess of the Kholin family, you can have anything that you want from me," he said earnestly, brushing his thumb across her lower lip.

It was her turn to blush.

She swallowed hard, barely able to process what he'd said before he leaned forwards and gently pressed his lips to hers. Passionspren crystalized around their heads, but Shallan was too caught up in the feel of his mouth against hers to care. It wasn't long before they were clinging to each other and breathing heavily, simultaneously overwhelmed and desperate for _more_.

The kiss ignited a fire in her that she couldn't even compare to Stormlight. It burned hotter, for one, simmering inside of her belly in a way that made her feel powerful and weak at the same time. Her heartbeat increased further, threatening to beat out of her chest as his hands slid around her waist, pulling every inch of her body against his muscled torso.

She let out a small sigh of appreciation as Adolin tilted his head, deepening the kiss. She lost herself in the sensation of his touch, elated in the knowledge that he was _hers_.

Shallan blinked in confusion as Adolin abruptly pulled back, his bright eyes searching her face.

"What?" She asked breathlessly, reaching for him. She wasn't sure how to feel when he moved back another inch, cupping her face between his calloused palms.

"Shallan," he swallowed hard, taking a calming breath as Anticipationspren danced around them. "I just want you to know that if you're not ready to-"

"Adolin," she interrupted him firmly, laughing softly as his expression scrunched into one of befuddlement. Shallan brushed his adorably messy hair off of his forehead and pressed herself a little closer. "I'm nervous, but I've never been surer of anything in my life. Storms, I didn't even feel this giddy when I realised that I was a Radiant."

His mouth spread into a hesitant smile as he released a soft laugh. "I can't believe that I actually got to marry you. I was so worried that I would mess things up-"

"Gemheart, I have three personalities, at least! If anyone was going to mess things up, it's me," she said firmly, grinning at the blush that burned across his cheeks again.

"I don't think that's possible," he breathed, leaning forwards to capture her lips again. She responded eagerly, pressing herself into his arms as he abruptly scooped her up. She let out a squeak of surprise, grinning against his lips as he playfully bit her lip.

Before she could think, she was gently pressed up against the door that led to the bedchamber, heat simmering through her veins as her hands smoothed over his deeply muscled back. Without letting herself think, she reached around his neck and clumsily wrestled the buttons off of her left sleeve, exposing her safehand to him. She sucked in a pleased breath as Adolin pressed her harder against the unyielding door, tilting her head back to allow him better access to her neck.

She made a soft sound of approval as his lips traced the shell of her ear; how she'd managed to keep from ripping his uniform off before they were married, she had no idea. Shallan slid her hands into his soft hair and pressed herself closer, uttering tiny encouragements as her husband reduced her to a trembling mess.

Storms, _she loved him, she loved him, she loved him_.

At the feel of two small hands twining around the nape of his neck, Adolin made a small sound of surprise and drew back, giving her a meaningful look that was simultaneously affectionate and burning with a passion that she wasn't familiar with.

The heat in his eyes sent a bolt of liquid arousal shooting down into her legs, and she nearly lost her grp on him as he slowly reached up to draw her naked safehand to his chest. Her heartbeat thundered so loudly that she was terrified that he could hear it as he dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to her wrist. The soft brushing of his lips against the sensitive skin was enough to make her shiver, and he slowly, reverently, explored her palm, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that she was sweating in a terribly unladylike way.

"Shallan Kholin," he murmured softly, dipping his tone in a way that made her heart skip a beat.

"Yes, Adolin?" She asked breathlessly, biting her lip as his free hand smoothed up her thigh and lower back, hooking around her hips and pulling her flush against him.

"I don't think I can wait another second to be with you," he rumbled, still staring at her in such a way that she would happily have thrown herself off of a rooftop if he'd asked.

"Me neither," she admitted, running her freehand down the length of his chest. "All that I know is that I agree, wholeheartedly."

The smouldering heat in his gaze sent a delicious shiver down her spine.

"That's good, because I seem to remember a promise that you haven't made good on," he murmured lowly, smirking gently as a flush rose in her pale cheeks.

"You do..?" She asked weakly, suddenly feeling like her knees might give out as he gently ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

"Mmhm," he said softly, tenderly brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "You mentioned something about ripping my uniform off and kissing me until I forget my own name?"

Shamespren snapped into the air around her head as his eyes danced with mirth. She grinned sheepishly, trying vainly to both ignore the spren and gather up every shred of courage that she had in her body.

"I definitely still want to do that," she finally managed to breathe out, ducking her head to avoid his burning gaze.

"If you want to wait, that's okay-"

"I don't," she said firmly, trying to ignore the way that her stomach swirled with anticipation. It felt like she'd swallowed some Windspren, and they were violently dancing in her belly. Anticipationspren spiralled around Adolin's head at her words.

His eyes lit up, and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She sighed happily as he gently pulled the giant, ornamental pins that held her elaborate hairstyle in place out of her braids. He pushed his hands into her hair, pulling just enough to release the large plaits.

Her bright locks cascaded down around them, and Shallan's heartbeat increased to the point that it was almost painful. She pressed herself more urgently against him, unsure how to go about it, but desperate to ease the ache between her legs.

Adolin's rumble of approval ignited a confidence in her that she wasn't aware that she possessed as she ran her hands up his chest. Her fingers slipped beneath his collar and lightly traced along the nape of Adolin's neck; his small shudder of pleasure brought a wicked smile to her lips.

"Stop teasing me," he murmured against her lips, drawing back slightly to look her in the eye. "I won't be able to hold back if you do that."

"So don't," she whispered, biting her lip as his mouth dropped to her neck. His hands quickly undid two of the knots that held her ceremonial havah closed up to the collarbone, and she gasped at the feeling of his warm lips and tongue against her skin.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" She half-yelled, unable to contain her nervous energy; she wanted to kiss him so hard that she forgot _her_ own name. He laughed softly against her mouth and rolled his hips against hers, urging her desire to a point that was both wonderfully new and so instinctive that she was barely able to keep up.

Her hands twisted in his uniform, but she was caught off guard as he abruptly took hold of her safehand and pinned it to the smooth wood of the door. Shocked by his bold move, she tensed against him, gentling immediately as he laced his fingers with hers.

She let out a soft whimper as his tongue gently traced along her lower lip. He didn't give her a chance to catch her breath; his hands slid firmly, possessively up her waist and over her ribs. She barely noticed, given that her shaking freehand was determinedly unbuttoning his dress uniform.

Shallan nearly shrieked with surprise as he eased backwards, sweeping her off of her feet and into his arms. She immediately hooked her ankles around the small of his back as he manoeuvered them backwards. He gently set her down beside their ornate bed, and she wasn't surprised in the least to find that her knees were trembling so violently that she could barely stand.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she raised her gaze to meet Adolin's. He was looking at her with such open adoration that she nearly passed out.

"Adolin?"

"Yes?"

"Take me to bed, you wonderful, ridiculous man," she ordered, grinning foolishly as she found herself falling backwards. Adolin gracefully caught her right before she hit the blankets, and kissed her softly before rising up on his knees.

She watched intently as he quickly dealt with the remaining buttons on his uniform. Before the fabric had whispered away from his skin, she was already running her hands over every inch of him, reveling in the way that his muscles moved with every heaving breath that he took.

They struggled to remove her dress, laughing breathlessly as the buttons proved to be a formidable obstacle. Shallan's hands were shaking too hard to get a proper grip on the slippery fastenings, and Adolin's fingers were clumsy with haste. Finally, after Shallan had reached the point where she was about to demand that he just rip them, the buttons finally slipped free.

The cool air on the length of her torso made her shiver, but it was the passionate, reverent look in Adolin's eye as he took in the sight of her bare skin that sent a bolt of heat straight into her legs.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, bending down to press a soft kiss to her collarbone. She threaded her small hands into his hair and sighed shakily. His hot mouth marked down the length of her sternum, and she gasped when his warm hands slowly slid up her hips to skim over her breasts.

The feeling of his callused palms against her heated skin made her breath hitch. Adolin's mouth curled into a smile against her skin as his mouth gently brushed over her nipple. Shallan's breathing grew uneven as he explored every inch of her skin, and she rolled her hips towards him as her arousal mounted, growing almost painful.

"Adolin-" She gasped, her gaze locking into his as he slowly moved lower. She shied away as his lips and tongue traced across her belly, sending another bolt of liquid heat between her thighs.

"I want to try something," he murmured quietly, gently raking his long fingers down the length of her waist and hips.

She shuddered at his dark, teasing tone.

"Okay," she replied weakly, unable to do much more than watch as he teased her.

He patiently moved down her body, giving her time to adjust to the new feeling of his lips against her sensitive skin. Goosebumps erupted over the length of her belly as he nipped gently at her hipbone.

"Have you done this before?" She demanded breathlessly, arching into his touch as his hands smoothed over her breasts.

"Yes, but only once," he admitted, still pressing teasing kisses to every inch of her thigh, and she trembled beneath his mouth.

"Oh," she finally responded, gasping with embarrassment and surprise as he abruptly lifted her legs, looping her thighs over his shoulders.

"Does that bother you?" He asked earnestly as he looked up at her, concern marring his handsome features.

Once, that might have, but she knew that she really didn't care. She'd married him after all. Shallan was well aware that he'd courted at least half of the warcamps on the Shattered Plains; it was very probable that at least one of the girls that he'd courted had allowed their relationship to progress past what was proper.

"Well, if you've done this before, then it's a good thing, because I'm certainly no expert," she said faintly, trying to hide how nervous she was. "I'd expect that you're well on _your_ way to becoming an expert, and I'm always a scholar-_oh_!"

She'd been too busy talking to notice that he'd dipped his head, laughing against her skin. His warm breath puffed at the junction between her thighs, and she couldn't help the sharp moan that tore from her throat as he slowly drew his tongue over her clit.

Shallan shuddered, unable to do anything but bask in pleasure as he patiently drove her insane. Her hands fisted in his hair, and his moan of approval only served to send another jolt of white-hot pleasure shooting through her. Every muscle in her body tensed as he used his strength to pin her in place; she couldn't help the frantic bucking of her hips as she was thrown headlong into completely unconquered territory.

She couldn't dredge up enough thought to put into words how she was feeling, and she let out a choked moan as the sensations became too intense to handle. Breathing heavily, she quickly scooted backwards; her chest heaved as she attempted to catch her breath.

Adolin sat up, confusion and concern written all over his face. She didn't give him a chance to ask her if she was alright; she drew him towards her, guiding him to lie over her once more.

"Shallan-"

"That was wonderful, Adolin," she informed him shakily, cupping his face between her palms. "It was just extremely intense."

His mouth spread into a satisfied grin, and she kissed him hard. She raised her legs to hook her ankles around the back of his knees, and his eyes widened.

"I can't wait any longer," she informed him, unable to concentrate on much more than the insistent, slightly painful ache between her legs.

Her entire body thrummed with a molten heat that she didn't have words for. Adolin seemed to know what to do, for which she was very grateful, as his hands gently slid her stockings down her legs. As his warm hands traced across the sensitive skin of her ankles, she trembled.

He moved slowly, reverently across every inch of her skin until she was a shaking mess, too aroused to even think as he finally braced himself on his forearms and gently settled his hips against hers. Her hands, which had been very busy tracing along the smooth ridges of his arms and shoulders, were very quickly gathered in Adolin's warm hands and gently pinned beside her head.

Shallan's eyes snapped open as Adolin laced his fingers with hers and traced his thumb along the palm of her safehand. It tickled, so she couldn't smother a giggle, but it also shot her heartbeat into overdrive. It felt so incredibly intimate to bare her safehand to him, and the way that he slowly, deliberately traced his fingers along the delicate skin of her palm took her breath away. She couldn't help but watch as his gaze hungrily searched her face; his expression flickered with triumph every time that she bit her lip to hold in a whimper.

He grinned knowingly, dipping his head to kiss her fiercely. The sensitive skin on her palm grew as flushed and heated as the rest of her body, until she couldn't take it anymore. She quickly withdrew her hands from his gentle grip and wound her arms around his neck.

"No more teasing," she pleaded, watching him with lust-hazy eyes as he quickly shed the rest of his clothing.

His eyes burned with a silent question, one that Shallan was all too eager to answer. His breath hitched as she pressed her hips into his, nipping at his lip. Adolin's hand slid up her leg to grip at her waist, and she arched into his touch.

"Are you ready?" He rumbled, dropping his other hand between them and positioning himself at her entrance.

Shallan nodded breathlessly, running her thumb over his lip to soothe her gentle bite. "Please."

She cried out as he slowly, gently pressed inside her. He stopped immediately, worriedly looking at her with lust-hazy eyes. Shallan's brow furrowed; it was certainly a foreign feeling, but something deep inside her belly tensed, and her eyes snapped open.

"It doesn't hurt," she insisted, nodding frantically for him to continue. "Don't stop-"

He let out a soft moan as she rolled her hips towards his. He kissed her desperately, stoking the fire that burned deep within her body as he began to rock his hips into hers, slowly and deliberately. Shallan couldn't resist the soft moans that tore from her throat as she clung to him, still unsure of what she was supposed to do; all that she knew was that it was Adolin moving fluidly inside her.

He was everywhere, overwhelming her with stimulation as his hands smoothed over her skin and his lips dropped to her neck. She moaned her approval as he nipped gently at her pulse point. Her heartbeat stuttered across the thin skin as the heat of his mouth made her lose her composure.

Her nails dug into his back as he slowly increased his pace; his radiant eyes searched her face for any signs of discomfort. There were none, and his expression softened to one of pure bliss as her gaze locked onto his. She couldn't look away, and she realized distantly that she didn't want to.

There was nothing else but _him_.

Unbidden, Shallan's skin began to glow faintly with Stormlight as her sharp gasps of pleasure drained the spheres that lit the room with a soft, shimmering light. Her back arched as the magic streamed into her blood, dissipating in wisps around their twined bodies.

There was something so new, and so wonderfully foreign building in her belly, and she felt her muscles shuddering, drawing her mercilessly towards what she could only have described as ecstasy.

"Storms, Shallan-"

Adolin's eyes widened with wonder as her skin shimmered, bathing them in soft light. She laughed breathlessly, kissing him fiercely as he hooked her legs up around his hips, changing the angle of his thrusts just enough to send her headlong into her impeding orgasm. Completely by accident, Shallan sucked in the remaining Stormlight, plunging the room into complete darkness.

Shallan breathed out, fighting hard to catch her breath. In doing so, a stream of Stormlight puffed out of her mouth, enveloping them in a shining mist.

She couldn't see the way that Adolin's mouth slid into an enraptured grin as the magic rolling off of her skin built until it illuminated the room. He dropped a hand between them, circling his calloused fingers around the most sensitive point on her body.

Shallan couldn't take it anymore.

Light spun in dizzying circles over her skin, dissipating like smoke as her entire body went completely taut, arching upwards into Adolin's chest. He let out a gasping moan, clutching her closer to him as she completely forgot how to breathe.

Awespren burst into existence around Adolin's head, spiraling through the air as Shallan plummeted, tipping over the edge. It felt like she was falling, surrounded entirely by the delightfully sharp pulses of pleasure that spun through her body.

Her vision exploded into fragments of white as the Stormlight in her veins ignited. The warmth of the magic rushing through her veins tore a strangled gasp from her throat as her entire body shuddered. She couldn't even gather enough thought to describe what was happening to her as she shook gracelessly in Adolin's arms. Breathlessly, she spiraled downwards from her high as Adolin suddenly tensed a moment later, shuddering against her.

She kissed every inch of him that she could reach as he murmured her name as a strangled moan, slowly stilling against her as their heartbeats slowed and the sweat cooled on their bodies.

She felt wonderfully exhausted, and sighed happily as Adolin pressed a shaking kiss to her forehead. He gently rolled off of her and pulled her close, smoothing his fingers in soothing patterns on her skin.

"Are you alright?" He murmured, still breathing heavily as she snuggled closer to him. Shallan glanced up, unable to keep a soft smile from her lips as she took in the sight of his mussed hair and flushed cheeks.

"I'm more than alright," she answered, leaning up to kiss him softly. His hand slid into her hair as she melted against him. They lay there quietly for several minutes before Adolin sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Every time I think I have a grasp on what it means for you to be a Radiant, you surprise me," he said ruefully, grinning at her as she blushed.

"I didn't know that was something that happens!" She blurted, fully aware that her face was as red as a freshly boiled cremling. "I've never glowed like that before-"

"So that's only happened with me…?" Adolin said slowly, looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Yes of course-" She cut off with a surprised gasp as he shifted, rolling to the side so that she was on top of him. "Adolin, what-"

"I'd like to see if we can replicate it," he replied seriously, smoothing his hands up her spine. Her mouth dropped open.

"Adolin, give me a minute, w-w-we just-"

"Don't worry, I'll do all of the work," he said cheerfully, silencing her half-hearted protests with a fierce kiss.

Shallan managed to extricate herself from his arms and pointed to the corner of the room, where two half-transparent figures stood. The remaining Stormlight within Shallan's body drifted towards the two women, drawn to them like moths to a flame.

Veil, who had somehow snuck back into the room without Shallan noticing, approvingly nodded and awarded them with a rare grin. Radiant, on the other hand, looked mortified, although she apparently couldn't keep her curious gaze away from Adolin's bare chest.

Shallan squeaked and hid under the blankets, trying her hardest to ignore both the Shamespren that whirled down around them and Adolin's laughter.

"If you two wouldn't mind, I'd like to spend some time with my wife," he said pointedly, struggling to keep his grin at bay.

The apparitions disappeared, and Shallan let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm sorry," she murmured weakly, avoiding Adolin's steady gaze. He chuckled and pulled her close again, ignoring the way that her hair got in the way. He brushed it aside and gently pressed his lips to her neck.

"It's fine. You didn't have to hide behind them tonight; I'm very flattered," he murmured against her skin, smiling gently as a shiver rushed down her back.

"I told them to go away," Shallan admitted, nestling as close to his body as she could. "I know that you don't like them as much-"

"Shallan, I love_ you_," he said firmly, squeezing her tightly for emphasis. "There's no alternative for me. You're it. I'd feel this way even if you didn't have god-like power."

She rolled over to face him. Her heart beat furiously in her chest, and she could feel the now-familiar swirl of desire reigniting in her belly as she caught sight of the brilliantly pink blush on her husband's cheeks.

"There you go again, making me fall in love with you more every time that I see you," she replied, trying and failing to hide the fact that her voice shook.

He grinned. "So, does that mean you're not too tired to-"

She hit him with her pillow, laughing at his shocked gasp. "Not right now, silly. For one, I need some time to recover, and two, Pattern is probably going to get bored and come slinking in here."

Adolin grimaced. "Point taken. Did he talk to you about uh, married relations before I arrived, by the way?"

"What?! How did you know that?" She demanded, sitting bolt upright and clapping a hand over her mouth.

"He found me in the hallway," Adolin admitted, still blushing. "He yelled at me to make sure that I get the mating right."

Shallan let herself fall back into bed. She covered her face with her pillow and spoke into it, although her voice was muffled and she couldn't breathe very well. "I'm going to have to talk to him about that."

"I did get it right, right..?" Adolin asked casually, inspecting his fingernails and very pointedly not looking at her as her jaw dropped open.

"Adolin Kholin, you are not choosing our _wedding night_ to ask me if I enjoyed sleeping with you?" She demanded incredulously, allowing a shocked squeak to escape her as he suddenly rolled over, pinning her gently with his body. His fingers traced softly over her safehand, and goosebumps erupted down her arm as he gently brushed a kiss along the pulse point of her wrist.

"Yes, I am," he said lowly, continuing to tease her as she squirmed beneath him. "I want to make sure I set the tone for our marriage."

"Stop talking," she said, unable to keep the exasperation from her tone as she pounced on him, rolling him onto his back. "I can't handle you looking for validation right now-"

"Like I said, I'm setting the tone," he replied cheerfully, waggling his eyebrows suggestively at her.

She laughed, shaking her head at him. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I have a few ideas."

"Adolin-"

"Come here."

Shamespren really were becoming a problem. The bed was covered in them.


End file.
